☆ Chapter 98 The project was abruptly halted.
The person Xu Qiuyun was referring to was Aunt Wang, another cook in the embroidery workshop.
“Aunt Wang is my neighbor. That night she came over to borrow something and saw me drawing a design draft. She talked to me a lot. I drew the draft based on her ideas and her descriptions. I am very satisfied with this work. I want to win first place. Aunt Wang said she would not participate in the competition and told me to participate without worry. So I submitted it.”
Xu Qiuyun cried, "I didn't plagiarize, I really didn't plagiarize..."
"Aunt Wang, how do you explain this?"
“I shared my thoughts and insights with Qiuyun, but I only helped her because she was really clueless. I have nothing to explain. I didn’t participate in the competition. I was just trying to be helpful. Who gets first or second place is of no benefit to me. Even if Qiuyun gets first place, she won’t share half of the prize money with me.”
Zhou Mujiao frowned: "Indeed, even if Qiu Yun wins first place, she won't share half of the prize money with you. But if Qiu Yun is exposed for plagiarism and is fired from the embroidery workshop, the workshop will have an extra spot... I remember, your daughter-in-law just joined the family last month?"
Aunt Wang's expression changed: "I, I—"
"Do you want to come back to the government office with us? If not, then speak properly!" Clerk Du shouted.
Aunt Wang then confessed: "...I deliberately taught Qiuyun to draw it this way."
Wang Da Niang's daughter-in-law married into the village from another village and greatly envied those who could work at the embroidery workshop. She was also quite skilled at embroidery, but the workshop was not hiring at the moment, so she had no way to get in. She asked Wang Da Niang to come up with a solution, but Wang Da Niang herself could only work as a cook, so what could she do?
So the daughter-in-law started throwing pots and pans and slamming chopsticks at home every day, and she was always rude to her. Wang Da Niang was timid by nature and had always been a pushover. Even after becoming a mother-in-law, she didn't change her nature and just let her daughter-in-law insult her. That day, she saw Li Da Niang steal Shi Ba's painting. She secretly glanced at it and then saw Xu Qiu Yun drawing design drawings that night. So she had a wicked idea.
When the truth comes out, both Aunt Li and Xu Qiuyun will have to leave. The embroidery shop will be short of staff, and she can recommend her daughter-in-law to come over. It will definitely work. As for the kitchen, she can also have her sister-in-law from her own family apply for the job.
But I never expected things to turn out like this.
Xu Qiuyun thought that Aunt Wang meant well, but now she realized that she was just a stepping stone. She was angry at Aunt Wang for being ruthless and hated herself for being so stupid. She burst into tears.
"What are you crying about? Don't blame others if you're stupid!"
Du, the registrar, shouted again. Xu Qiuyun covered her mouth, too ashamed to stay, and ran away.
Aunt Li couldn't stand the gossip and knew that the embroidery shop would never want her again after what she had done, so she ran away crying.
Only Granny Wang was still kneeling there.
“Aunt Wang, you’re old enough to be my mother, so don’t kneel before me. Besides, I invited Lord Du here not to show off, but to let everyone know that I’m serious about organizing the competition and cracking down on rule-breaking contestants, and I’m reasonable. Aunt Wang, although you didn’t participate, you did disrupt the order and fairness of our competition, so the embroidery workshop will no longer employ you.”
"I know, and I don't dare to hope that you'll use me again, but—"
Zhou Mujiao interrupted her: "There's just one more thing I'd like to ask you. Last market day, your daughter-in-law gave a picture to Sister Ye's clothing store on the street. Was that picture something you saw in my study and then drew from memory?"
“I did it, but Miss Zhou, it was all my own doing. My daughter-in-law knew nothing about it. She just gave the painting to Sister Ye as I instructed. My daughter-in-law is very good at embroidery, she—”
“If she had no idea, she would definitely have submitted that picture to the competition.”
Zhou Mujiao stopped there, waving her hand and saying, "Alright, I won't ask anymore. Neither you nor your daughter-in-law are welcome in our embroidery workshop."
Aunt Wang opened her mouth, stared blankly at Zhou Mujiao for a while, and then walked out of the crowd, turning back every few steps.
Clerk Du whispered, "Miss Zhou, her daughter-in-law sold your design to someone else. Doesn't that mean someone else is using your designs and will steal your customers? That would be a huge loss. Are you really going to let her off the hook like this?"
So easy to talk to, even Clerk Du felt that this Zhou Mujiao wasn't the real Zhou Mujiao.
Zhou Mujiao said calmly, "Those are discarded designs that I don't want. If Sister Ye can sell them, I'll respect her as a hero. If Sister Ye can't sell them and loses money, do you think the Wang family's daughter-in-law who sold her discarded designs will get away with it? Lord Du, I've never been a kind person. I let her go because others taught her a bigger lesson."
Lord Du nodded: "Miss Zhou, please rest assured, I will keep the matter of the abandoned map a secret for you."
"Although Sister Ye probably already started sewing, thank you for keeping it a secret."
After finishing the design competition, he busied himself with the matter of forming a security team. Clerk Du listened from the side and was speechless. He wanted to speak several times, but he held back.
After the crowd dispersed, Clerk Du lowered his voice again: "Miss Zhou, I'm afraid you'll have to put this security team on hold for now."
Why?
"I'm afraid the magistrate will be displeased."
The daily security of Taohua County was the responsibility of the county government officials. Although there had been occasional serious incidents, Taohua County was generally safe, and the people had a high sense of security. Everyone said that although Magistrate Chen was not good at raising his son, he still managed the area well.
The fact that Peach Blossom Village established its own security team is a way of telling everyone that Peach Blossom County is incompetent, the government is not doing its job, and the county magistrate is not doing his job properly. This is a direct slap in the face to Magistrate Chen. If you were Magistrate Chen, would you be happy?
Zhou Mujiao nodded: "What you said makes some sense. However, my security team is really just a group of guards I hire. Their main purpose is to protect my embroidery workshop and the safety of the transportation routes. Patrolling the village is also a side job. After all, we have so much land. After the spring, we also need to escort a few children to school, and we can also take care of the children in the village."
With the safety of the fields and children guaranteed, they will naturally work even harder for me. If Lord Chen asks, just tell him this. As for me, I'm merely a businessman; I've always kept my distance from officials and would never intentionally offend you. I also urge Magistrate Chen to take some time to visit the grassroots; perhaps one day a brilliant idea will come to mind to lead the people out of poverty and into prosperity.”
Du, the registrar, came to support Zhou Mujiao today, which was an abuse of public office. He did not report this to Lord Chen, so he was prepared to be reprimanded by Lord Chen.
As he expected, as soon as he returned, Lord Chen summoned him.
"Lord Du, have you just returned from Peach Blossom Village?"
"Yes, sir."
"You're quite straightforward."
"Your subordinate dares not conceal anything."
Lord Chen scoffed, "You dare not conceal the truth, but you dare to act first and report later. Lord Du, I think you're tired of being the registrar and want to change positions!"
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